Fire-escape.



Patented Nov. [4, I899. L. N. DUQUETTE.

F l B E E S C A P E (Application filed July 7, 1899.

3 Sheets-Sheet 1,

(No Model.)

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No. 636,771. Patented Nov. l4, I899.

L. N. DUHUETTE.

FIRE ESCAPE.

Applicafiion filed July 7, 1899.) (No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet 2,

m: norms PETERS co, PNOTO-LXTHO.. WASHINGTON. u. c.

No. 636,77l. Patented Nov, 14, I899.

L. N. DUOUETTE.

FIRE ESCAPE.

(Application filed July 7, 1899.) (No Model.) 3 Sheets$heet 3.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

LOUIS N. DUQUETTE, OF SOUTHBRIDGE, MASSACHUSETTS.

FIRE-ESCAPE.-

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N 0. 636,771, datedNovember 14, 1899.

Application filed July 7,1899. Serial No. 723,088. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, LoUIs N. DUQUETTE, a citizen of the United States,residing at Southbridge, in the county of Worcester and State ofMassachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inFire-Escapes; and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, andexact deseriptionof the invention, such as will enable others skilled inthe art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference beinghad to the accompanying drawings, and to the figures of reference markedthereon, which form a part of this specification.

This invention relates to fire-escapes, and aims to provide meansforsafely making an exit from a burning building or a compartment thereofthrough a window or other egressopening, and when not in use adapted tobe reduced to compact form and stored in a small space, and one whereinthe mechanism is simple and easily controllable to regulate the rapidityof descent by the occupant of the device.

The construction of the improvement will be fully described hereinafterin connection with the drawings, and its novel features defined in theappended claims.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective view of afire-escape embodying the invention and shown arranged for use. Fig. 2is a top plan view of the same with the seat or top removed. Fig. 3 is alongitudinal Vertical section of the device on the line 00 of Fig. 2.Fig. 4 is a transverse vertical section of the same. Fig. 5 is a planview of a modified construction of the device.

Like numerals are employed to indicate corresponding parts in theseveral views.

The numeral 1 designates a box or casing having substantially closedsides and ends and bottom. Portions of the ends 2 extend above a top 3,the latter forming a seat and having hinged at the rear a foldable back4, with supporting-straps or analogous devices 5 attached thereto and tothe front 6 of the said box or casing. lVhen the back 4 is not in use,it is folded down on the top or seat 3 and lies flush with the upperprojected portions of the sides 2.

Within the box or casing drums 7 are rotatably mounted and disposedtransversely,

the said drums having front flanges 8 and rear limiting-flangesQ,between which the suspending ropes or cables 10 are wound upon andunwound from the said drums. The drums have bearing at opposite ends insuitable sockets or analogous devices 11 which receive the axes 12 ofthe said drums, and in rear of the flanges 9 the drums have similarflanges 13 and 14. The flanges 9 and 13 of each drum are closelyarranged and provide confined bearing-surfaces for a cross-belt 15,which runs from one drum to the other and serves to preserve auniformity of rotation of the two drumsand to make them play out theropes or cables equally, and thereby prevent tilting of the box orcasing. The ropes or cables 10 are confined between the flanges 8 and 9,and, as just indicated, the belt 15 is held between the flanges 9 and13, and between the flanges l3 and 14 a braking-surface is provided oneach drum and traversed by a brake strap or band 16,-preferably having adouble winding around the said braking-surfaces of the drums and thefree ends secured to a transverse support 17 above the said brakingstrap or band. This transverse support 17 is located centrally betweenthe drums and immediately under the top or seat 3 and is exposed at thefront through a central slot 18 in the latter. Pivotally hung from thesaid support 17 is a brake-lever 19, which projects through a verticalslot 20 in the front side 6 of the box or casing and has a flexible orstrap stirrup 21 on the outer end thereof. The inner end of the saidbrake-lever is secured to the brake strap or band 16, and by varying thedown ward movement of the said brake-lever the tension of the strap 16will be likewise varied on the braking-surfaces of the drums. To holdthe brake-lever 19 downward and institute a braking tension of the strapor band 16 on the drum in preparing to use the device and during thetime that preliminary arrangements are being made for such use, aclamping-screw 22 is mounted in the frontend portion of the support 17and bears against the outer part of the said brakinglever. This fixedbraking position of the lever 19 will be maintained under ordinarycircumstances at all times when the device is not in use, because it isnecessary to turn the clamping-screw 22 downward through the slots 18 inthe top or seat 3 to make a flush fitting and allow the foldingback tobe closed down snugly on the said top or seat.

The ends 2 of the box or casing, near the bottom, have elongated slots23 formed therein to exteriorly expose and give bearing to feed-rollers24, which extend in planes parallel with the drums 7. These feed-rollersguide the ropes or cables at points where they leave the box or casingin an easy and free manner, and project said ropes or cables far enoughoutward at their points of exit to avoid binding on or frictionalcontact with adjacent surfaces, and also facilitate the regular play-outof the said ropes or cables from the drums on which they are wound.Above the feed-rollers 24: and secured centrally in the ends 2 areguide-eyes 25, and above and in alinement with said eyes the lower endsof flexible gripping-tubes 26 are secured by clips 27. Thegripping-tubes project some distance above the top or seat of the box orcasing, and the ropes or cables 10 pass up through the said eyes andgripping-tubes. The occupant of the escape can steady the device bygrasping the tubes 26, and also by compressing the latter the speed ofdescent may be regulated independently of the operation of the brakestrap or band. The upper ends of the ropes or cables are supplied withhooks or analogous fastening devices 28 for application to a window-sillor other place of engaging rest to firmly connect the upper ends of saidropes or cables with safety.

In operation the occupant rests on the top or seat 3, the hooks oranalogous devices 28 having been first firmly applied to a support. Theclamping-screw 22 is released, and the weight of the person on the boxor casing causes the ropes or cables 10 to play off from the drums? andallows a descent to be made. During the descent the speed may be easilycontrolled either through the tube 26 or by pressing down on the lever19, the latter operation being accomplished by the foot of the occupant,which is inserted in the flexible stirrup 21, and this in turn draws thebrake strap or band taut on the brake-surfaces of the drums.

The device can be stopped at any window or before any opening in abuilding-wall over which a descent is made therewith, and the seat ortop 3 can be primarily made large enough to receive a number of persons,and by means of said stopping facilities a number of persons can beaccommodated and rescued from the burning building. The escape may beelevated after it is fully lowered by means of other ropes and the ropesor cables 10 rewound on the drums 7, ready for a successive descent. Itis preferred in the use of the de vice that one person attend to thebrake mechanism; but others at opposite sides may easily grasp thecompressible tubes 26 and by proper instructions at regular intervalsset up a braking friction on the ropes or cables 10. The greater theload on the escape the more rapid the descent, and the dual provisionspecified for regulating the rapidity of downward movement will preventaccident in the event of breakage or injury to a part of the mechanism.It is preferred that the ropes or cables be made of non-combustiblematerial or treated in such manner as to be fireproof.

Though the preferred form of the device has been illustrated anddescriptively disclosed, changes in the proportions, dimensions, andminor details of construction may be resorted to without in the leastdeparting from the nature of the invention or sacrificing any of theadvantages thereof.

In Fig. 5 I have shown a modification of the construction, in whichprovision is made for returning the escape to its elevated positionafter it has been lowered. In this construction the winding-drums areeach provided with an annular flange 7, on one side of which are woundthe lowering-ropes 10. On the opposite side of each flange '7 the drumis circumferentially enlarged, and upon it is wound a rope 10 thewinding of the ropes 10 being a reversal of that of the lowering-ropes10, so that the unwinding of the lowering-ropes operates to wind theelevating-ropes 10, and by pulling on the ropes 10 the ropes 10 arewound up, thus elevating the escape.

Having thus described the invention,what is claimed as new is 1. In afire-escape, the combination of a support, drums arranged therein, ropesor cables wound around said drums, and adapted to play out equallytherefrom, and a belt connecting said drums to institute a uniformity ofrotation thereof.

2. In a fire-escape, the combination of a support, drums therein,suspending ropes or cables wound around said drums, and adapted to playout equally therefrom; a belt connecting said drums to insure auniformity of rotation, a brake band or strap engaging said drums, and abrake-lever attached to said brake band or strap and movable to vary thetension of the same.

3. In a fire-escape, the combination of a support, drums therein,suspending ropes or cables wound around said drums; a crossed beltconnecting said drums, a brake band or strap engaging said drums, amovable lever connected with said brake band or strap and projectingoutwardly from the support, and a flexible stirrup attached to theoutwardlyprojecting portion of the brake-lever,

i. In a fire-escape, the combination of a support, drums therein,suspending ropes or cables wound around said drums, a crossed beltconnecting the drums, a brake band or strap engaging said drums, abrake-lever movably mounted in the support and attached to the brakeband or strap, and a clamping-screw to bear on said lever and adjust thesame in fixed position, to institute a constant tension of the brakeband or strap on the drums.

5. In a fire-escape, the combination of a support, drums mountedtherein, ropes or cables wound thereon, an equalizing crossed beltconnecting the drums, and feed-rollers in the ends of the support, overwhich the ropes or cables have movement.

6. In a fire-escape, the combination of a support, drums mountedtherein, suspending ropes or cables passing around said drums andadapted to feed out through the opposite ends of said support or moveinwardly thereinto, guides for said ropes or cables on the ends of thesupport, and compressible tubes secured to the ends of the support abovethe guides and through which the said ropes or cables pass and have freemovement.

7. In a fire-escape, the combination of a LOUIS N. DUQUETTE.

Witnesses:

ALFRED ALLURD, PLAOID G. LALIBERTI.

